Warriors oust Rockets
Scoreless in the first half, Curry explodes with 33 in the final half
HOUSTON — With Kevin Durant in Oakland nursing a leg injury and Steph Curry stinking it up here in the first half, the Houston Rockets had the Golden State Warriors right where they wanted them.
Well, maybe not. Improbably, the Warriors beat Rockets 118113 on Friday night at the Toyota Center and clinched the Western Conference semifinals 4-2.
Curry, who was scoreless in the first half, finished with 33 points and was clutch during the frenetic finish.
James Harden had a game-high 35 points for the Rockets, but once again his season ends without a championship ring — or, for that matter, even a berth to the NBA Finals.
The Rockets led 8982 on Chris Paul’s jumper with 11 minutes left to play and a Game 7 looked ever more likely. But Houston unraveled in familiar fashion, getting eliminated from the playoffs by Golden State for the second year in a row and fourth time in five seasons.
While the Warriors planned for the absence of Durant, who suffered a calf strain to his right leg Wednesday during Game 5, Curry’s ailing shot was almost shocking.
Curry was scoreless in the first half, missing all five of his shots — including two layups — and he committed three fouls. Foul trouble limited him to 12 minutes in the first half.
Klay Thompson paced the Warriors in the first half with 21 of his 27 points. And in the second half, Curry took over.
The Warriors, seeking their third straight NBA title, advance to the Western Conference finals and will play either the Denver Nuggets or the Portland Trail Blazers, with those teams set to play a Game 7 on Sunday.
The Warriors have reached the NBA Finals in the last four seasons, losing only in 2016 to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Who would start in place of Durant was a mystery before the game, with Warriors coach Steve Kerr asked during a pregame media session about an hour and a half before tip-off.
“I’m not telling,” Kerr said. “I’m not required by league rules.”
The suspense ended when the Warriors took the floor. Durant’s fill-in was Andrew Bogut, who won the tip but did little else during seven minutes of play.
During the first half, Golden State led by as many as eight points. But the Rockets fought back and at halftime they were tied 57-57.